Folding-machine.



H. C. SGHROEDER. FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 1, 1909. 954,142. Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ANDREW GRAHAM C0N Photo-LTNOGRAPHERS. wAsmNGIoN. D c

H.' G. SGHRUEDER.

FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLFDv JUNE 1, 1909.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

umluunuu immnmuu unmgmumlw x/wfm" I HooRAPHERs WASHINGTON D L H. C.ySCHREDER.

` FOLDING MAGHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 1, 1909.

954,142. Pateted Apr.5,1910.

` 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. G. .SGHROEDBR FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1909.

954,142. Patend-Apr.-5,1910,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. C'. SCHROEDER. l

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 1, 1909.

954,142. l 4 Patented Apr.5, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

NGYUN. D- C mw. W

" l UNITED sTATEs 4PATENT oEEioE.

HANS C. SCI-IROEDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. TO THE G-OSSPRINTING- PRESS COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HANS C. SCHROEDER, a subject of the German Emperor,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to folding machines, and particularly to that typeof folding machines in which a fold is given to the sheet or webtransverse the run thereof by means of a knife carried on a carrier andgripping-jaws on another carrier which engage the sheet between themover the knife to produce the fold and, receding from the iirst carrier,pull the sheet away from it, folded edge first, to some suitabledelivery mechanism.

The object of myvinvention is to produce a new and improved mechanism bywhich this may be accomplished.

It has for a further purpose a new and improved form of gripping-jawsand the devices carrying them, which will render their grip upon thesheet over the foldingblade certain and sure, even with a number ofthicknesses of paper.

It has for a further purpose a new and improved mechanism for operatingthe gripping-jaws and for coperating with them to seize the paper, movethe same away from the carrier and deliver the same to suitable deliverymechanism.

It has for a further purpose the improvement of such mechanism in sundryparticulars hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation with the frame removed toexpose the parts; Fig. 2 is an end View, seen from the right in Fig. l,with some of the parts removed to expose the novel. features; Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail, being a section through the carrier which carriesthe knife and the delivery rollers and gripping-jaws; Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail, being a view of the gear which is rotated by a curvedrack to rotate the gripping-jaw-carrying rollers; Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail, being an isometric view of the cam for opening and closing thegripping-jaws upon the foldingblade; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, beingan Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1909.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.V serial No. 499,479.

isometric view of the cam for opening the gripping-jaws to deliver thepaper; F igs. 7 to 10, inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing thesheet and vfolding mechanism in different positions; and Fig. 11 is aview similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification. Referring to thedrawings,11 indicates a folder-frame of any well-known form andconstruction. r

12-13 indicate cutting-cylinders pro-r vided with knives 14-15, whichoperate in the well-known way to sever transversely a web of paperpassing down between them.

,The cutting-cylinders are operated by gears 16-17 mounted upon theshafts of the cut-` ting-cylinders and meshing together. Either one maybe driven from any suitable source of power, as from the drive train ofa printing-press (not shown).

18-19 indicate guides, which are mount-4 ed in the frame below the biteof the cuttingkcylinders 12-13 and which serve to direct the lead edgeof the paper downwardto the folding mechanism hereinafter described.

20 indicates an idler-gear journaled in the framework and meshing with agear 21 which is secured to the end of a shaft 22" journaled in theframework.

23 indicates a rotary carrier mounted on the shaft 22 and provided withsuitable devices, as with grippers 24, for engaging the lead edge of thesheet and carrying it around with the carrier. The grippers are operatedin any well-known manner, as by arms 25y and cam 26`to close upon thelead edge of the paper and to Open so as to free the lead edge of thepaper at suitable intervals. They operate in the usual well-knownmanner.

27 indicates a folding blade, which is mounted in a block 28 in thecarrier 23 and A projects beyond the surface toL form the crease of thefold and thrust the paper between the grippingjaws hereinafterdescribed. The knife may be mounted in 32 indicates cams, which aresuitably secured by keys, or in any other well-known manner, to theshaft 31.

33 indicates an idler-gear mounted in the framework and meshing with thegear 30 and with a gear 34 secured to the end of a shaft 35 journaled inthe frame.

36 indicates cams keyed, or otherwise secured, to the shaft 35.

37 indicates a frame composed of two upright arms 38 and a cross-bar orshaft 39 connecting the arms 38 near their upper.

ends. The lower ends of the arms 38 are rotatably mounted on the shaft35 by means of collars or hubs 40 which are preferably formed integralwith said arms.

4l indicates links, which are pivotally connected at their inner endswith the arms 38 and at their outer ends are provided with a fork 42which straddles the shaft 3l close to the inner faces of the cams 32.Intermediate the fork and the innei ends of the links 41, on each arm,is a roller 43 which bears upon the face of the cam 32.

44 indicates retractile-springs, which are secured at one end to thearms 38 and at the other end to suitable pins 45 secured to theframework. The springs operate to move the arms to the right in Fig. land keep the rollers 43 constant-ly in engagement with the face of thecams 32,--yielding when the arms are thrust inward by the rise of thecams and moving the arms back toward their normal position-that is, tothe right in Fig. 1-as the roller passes from the rise of the cam. Itwill be obvious from the above description that as the cams are rotatedwith the shaft 3l in the direction indicated by arrows in Fig. l theframe 37 will be swung back and forth about its pivot on the shaft 35.

46 indicates arms, which are pivotally mounted on the frame 37, one oneach side, either by rotatably mounting them on the shaft or cross-bar39 or by fixing them to the shaft 39 and allowing that to rotate in theframe 37, as may be desired.

47 indicates a roller, which is journaled by a suitable shaft or axlebetween the arms 46 near their outer ends. Upon one end of the Vshaft onwhich the roller 47 is mounted is provided a gear 48 which meshes with acurved rack 49 secured to the inside of one side of the frame l1. Theteeth on the rack 49 are at least equal in number to the teeth on thegear 48 in order to give to the gear 48, and consequently to the roller47, one complete revolution as the frame 37 swings to the left beforethe roller is lifted therefrom in the manner hereinafter described.rI`he roller 47 is provided at each end with a bearing flange 47 a,which is adapted to bear upon the margin of the sheet as hereinafterdescribed. The roller 47 is cut away between the ianges 47a, as is bestshown in Fig. 3, so as to form a recess 50 in Vwhich is mounted a.gripper-jaw 5l. The gripperjaw 51, extending across substantially fromflange to flange, is pivoted at each end between the flanges within therecess 50 beyond the median line of the recess. 52 indicates spiralcompression springs, which bear at their outer ends upon the undersurface of the gripping-jaw 5l between its pivotal point and its outerend and, located in a suitable recess in the roller 47, bear at theirother ends upon screw-threaded adjustingplugs 53 screw-threaded into theroller. The effect of the springs is to normally hold the jaw 5lyieldingly outward and substantially tangentially to the roller 47 atthe pivotal point of the jaw. 54 indicates a similar roller provided ateach end with bearing flanges 54a and having a cut-away portion 55similar to the cut-away portion 5() in the roller 47. The roller 54 isjournaled between arms 56, near their outer ends, which arms 56 are attheir ends pivotally mounted upon the arms 46 so as to swingindependently thereof. rlhe rollers 47 and 54 are geared together bygears 57-58 secured on the shafts of the rollers 47-54, whereby, whenthe roller 47 is rotated by the gear 48 traversing the rack 49, theother roller 54 will be also rotated,-the rollers both rotating in thedirection indicated by arrows in Fig. 3.

59 indicates a gripping-jaw, which is pivoted in the recess 55 of theroller 54, and is in all respects identical in construction and mountingin the roller 54 with the gripping-jaw 5l of the roller 47.

60 indicates spiral springs, which are mounted in suitable openings inthe roller 54 and bear at their outer ends upon the gripping-jaw 59 andat their inner ends upon screw-threaded adjusting-plugs 6l in the roller54.

The function of the springs 52 and 60 is to normally hold thegripping-jaws 59 and 51 in yielding contact with each other, as is shownin Fig. 3 and in the diagrammatic figures, until opened by the camshereinafter described.

The gear 48 is provided upon its outer periphery with a pin 62.

63 (see Figs. l and 5) indicates a cam having a cam-groove 64 andsecured to the inner side of one side of the frame 1l adjacent to gear48 and adapted to engage the pin or stud 62 on said gear in the mannerhereinafter described.

65 indicates pins, which are pivotally mounted at one end upon arms 56aon the arms 56 and at the other end pass through a suitable opening inlugs 66 on the upper ends of the arms 38.

67 indicates spiral springs interposed between the lugs 66 and collars68 on the pins 65. The springs operate by their expansion to rock thearms 56 downward and hold the -lOO rollers 47-54 normally in yieldingcontact action of springs 67 and separate the rollers,

as hereinafter described.

70 indicates rods, whose upper ends are pivotally connected with thearms 46 and whose lower ends are provided with a fork 71 closed at thebottom by a cross-piece 72, and which forks straddle the shaft 35, as isbest shown in Fig. 1. Above the forks 71 the rods 70 are provided eachwith a roller which bears against the cam 36.

73 (see Fig. 1) indicates slide-blocks mounted between the forks 71 andcurved upon their upper surface to conform to the periphery of the shaft35.

74 indicates spiral compression springs, which are seated in the forks71 between the cross-bar 72 and the blocks 73. The action of the springsis to normally tend to force the forks 7l down into the position shownin Fig. 1 and to keep the rollers 75 constantly in engagement with thesurface of the cam 36. The rotation of the cam' 36 bearing upon theroller 75 will, as the rise of the cam encounters said rollers, move therods 70 upward and lift the bars 46 and consequently the roller 474 andwith it the roller 54 upward and free the gear 48 from the rack 49 inthe manner hereinafter described,-the spring 74 forcing the arm downwardagain, when the surface of the cam permits, and therefore restoring thearms 46 and roller 47, and with it, of course, the arms 56 and roller54, to normal position.

77 indicates a gu'ide mounted in the framework in suitable supports andserving to guide the sheet in the progress of its movement with theframe 37.

78 indicatesl curved guides, which are mounted on cross-bars 79, oneupon each side of the machine. These guides are in the form ofthree-sided troughs, open each toward the center of the machine, and areadapted to receive theside margins of the folded sheet of paperdelivered to them by the rollers 47 54, as hereinafter described, and toguide them to a delivery cylinder hereinafter described. To that end thecurve of the guides is concentric with the shaft 35, and at-their lowerends they are substantially tangential to said delivery cylinder.

8() indicates cams, which are mounted upon the shaft or bar 79 inregistry with the path of the rollers 69 and operate to lift the rollersslightly and consequently raise the bars 56 at the proper time toseparate the rollers 47 and 54 and gripping-jaws 51-59 to free the paperas hereinafter described.

81 indicates a delivery-cylinder mounted upon a shaft 82 journaled inthe framework of the machine and provided with grippers 83 operated bythe usual cam 84 and rockarms 85 and spring 86 in the ordinary manner atsuitable intervals ,to seize the lead edge ofthe sheet of paper, carryit around with the cylinder asuitable distance, and release it ashereinafter described. The cylinder 81 is rotated by means of a gear 87on the shaft 82 meshing with an idler-gear 88 which meshes with the gear34.

89 indicates rollers, which are mounted upon a shaft 90 and are drivenby gears 91-92, which last meshes with the gear 34.

93 indicates tapes on the rollers 90, which travel in lthe directionindicated by the arrows and pass over other rollers (not shown).

94 indicates strippers, which are mounted upon a suitable bar 95 in theframework, and, bearing at their upper ends in the manner well knownagainst the periphery of the delivery-cylinder 81, operate to strip thesheets therefrom when the folded edge is released by the grippers and todrop them upon the moving tapes 93. These strippers and moving tapesoperate in the usual wellknown manner and need no further descriptionhere.

The operation of the mechanisms above described is as follows: Thepaper, which may be in the form of a web or superposed webs folded orunfolded longitudinally, passes down between the cutting-cylinders12-13, and is directed by the guides 18 and 19 to the carrier 23, wherethe lead edge is seized by suitable devices, as by the grippers 24, andcarried around with the carrier. Vhen the parts reach the position showninV F ig. 1, the grippers 24 are being released, and the folding-blade27, coming into operative relation with the gripping-jaws 5l and 59,which are yieldingly held together as above described, tucks the fold ofthe paper transversely between said gripping-jaws, which engage thepaper between them over Athe folding-blade,-the movement of the frame 37and of the parts carried thereby being such as to bring the saidgrippingjaws into operative relation with the knife at a time justprevious to the position of the parts shown in F ig. 1, in which theparts are shown as having moved slightly beyond the initial grippingposition. At this time the cutters 14--15 sever the sheet transversely.J ust at this moment the roller 43 is met by the rise of the rotatingcam 32, and the links 41 are forced to the left, swinging the frame 37to the left about its pivot on the shaft 35, and moving the frame 37 andconsequently the gripping-jaws 51-59, which have engaged the fold of thesheet, away from the carrier 23, thus stripping the sheettherefrom asthe movement to the left continues. As soon as this movement to the leftbegins,

the gear 48 is rotated by its being carried along the rack 49, thusrotating the roller 47 and with it the roller 54 in the directionindicated by arrows in Figs. l and 3. The gripping-jaws 51 and 59,continuously holding the sheet between them, are separated from oneanother at their pivotal ends by the rotation of the rollers 47 and 54,but are held together at the ends at which they engage the sheet ofpaper by the actionof the springs 52 and 60, thus rocking thegripping-jaws 51-59 relatively to each other as they move to the leftwith the swing of the frame 37, but guiding them closed upon the sheetof paper at their closing edge so that they assume positionssuccessively substantially tangent to their respective rollers at ornear their pivotal point. Several of these successive positions areshown in the diagrammatic Figs. 7 to 10. This movement of thegripping-jaws moves the lead edge of the sheet forward relatively to therollers 47 and 54 so as to cause the bearing flanges 47:1-54a to bearupon the side margins of the sheet and, engaging the side marginsbetween them, to forward the sheet.

As the movement of the frame to the left continues, the side margins ofthe sheet are directed into the guides 78 and, by the rotation of therollers, the sheet is forwarded downward through these guides to thedelivery cylinder, the rotation continuing until the rollers 69 meet therise of the cams 80. This movement is so timed with relation to thedirection of the delivery-cylinder 81 that, just as the grippers 83onsaid cylinder have come into engaging position and are closing upon theedge of the sheet, the rollers 69 meet the rise of the cam 8O andoperate to slightly lift the arms 56 relatively to the arms 46 andseparate the rollers and release the sheet. As the gear 48, as has beensaid above, has been given a complete rotation by its traverse along therack 49, the gripping-jaws will, some time previously to the lifting ofthe rollers, have been separated from one another by the rotation of therollers, so that the sheet is freed from the grip of the gripping-j awssome time before it is freed from the flanges of the rollers, which thushave continued to forward the sheet after it has been released from thegripping-jaws,-the gripping-jaws operating to seize the fold of thesheet, and by their rocking move the sheet forward to be engaged by theflanges of the rollers by which said gripping-j aws are carried. Thegrippers 83, seizing the sheet by its folded edge, carry it around withthe cylinder until the folded edge meets the strippers 94, at which timethe grippers 83, opening, release the folded sheet, and the strippers94, stripping the folded sheet from the deliverycylinder, deliver it tothe slow-moving tapes 93, by which it is carried along in the usualmanner. Up to this time the rollers 75 have been riding the circularportion of the cams 36. At the moment, however, at which the rollers47-54 are separated and the sheet released the rise of the cam 36 beginsto operate upon the rollers 75. At the same time, the descending portionof the cam 32 comes in contact with the rollers 43 and, by means ofsprings 44, the frame 37 is rocked back toward its originalposition-that is, toward the carrier. At the same time, therefore, thatthe frame 87 is being moved back toward its original position, the riseof the cam 36, operating on the rods 70, raises the arms 46 and withthem, of course, the roller 47 and roller 54 on its arms 56, freeing thegear 48 from the rack 49. As has been said, the movement of the frame 37to the left gives the gear 48 one complete rotation, so that by itsforward movement the rollers 47 are given one complete rotation and theyare brought into their original position ready to bring thegripping-jaws 51-59 again into operative relation with thefolding-blade. As soon as the frame 37 has been brought by the motion ofthe cam 32 to the limit of its motion to the right, the rollers 75 passfrom the ride of the cam 36, and the rods 70, being brought downward bythe springs 74, move the arms 46, and therefore the rollers 47 and 54,downward. As they pass downward on this movement, the jaws are inposition to engage the knife, and just before the engagement of theknife the stud 62 on gear 48, entering the camgroove 64, is moved by therise of the cam so as to rock the rollers 47-54 slightly backward andthus slightly opening the gripping-jaws 51 and 59 just at the momentthat the folding-blade comes into operative relation therewith. It willthus be observed that the gripping-jaws at the time of their engagementby the folding-blade are traveling in the same general directiontherewith and at substantially the same speed. As soon as thefolding-blade 27 tucks the paper between the gripping-jaws, the stud 62passes away from the rise of the cam-groove 64 and the jaws areimmediately restored to their normal position, gripping the sheet ofpaper between them over the folding-blade. Thereupon the movement abovedescribed is repeated.

I have spoken in the above specification of a carrier on which thefolding-blade is mounted, and have shown such a carrier as provided withgrippers, or similar mechanism, for engaging the lead edge of a sheet ofpaper and carrying it around the carrier, and this is the form which Iprefer. By the use of the word carrier, however, I do not intend tolimit myself to a carrier provided with grippers, or similar appliances,for engaging the lead edge of a sheet of paper, as under certaincircumstances the device will be entirely operative .if the carrier isnot provided with such gripping or engaging devices for the edge of thepaper and the sheet is allowed to move down directly from the guideswithout being carried around by the carrier. I have shown, also, thecarrier vin the form of an ordinary rotating carrier cylinder, but I donot confine myself to a full cylinder, as it is obvious that a skeletoncylinder, or some other equivalent form, may be used. The word carrier,therefore, is to be understood as including not only a carrier which isadapted to engage the lead edge of a sheet of paper, but also anysuitably-moving part which carries the foldingblade away in the form ofa cylinder having grippers, or equivalent devices, or in any othersuitable and usual form, with or without such engaging devices, adaptedto carry the folding-blade to coperate with the gripping-jaws to producea cross fold in a sheet of paper.

In Fig. 11 a modification of the mechanism above described as shown,differing from that already described mainly in the operation of thefolding-blade and in the movement of the folding rollers toward and awayfrom the carrier in the engaging and delivery of the sheet. In thisligure 12-13 represent the cutting-cylinders having knives 14-15 anddriven by gears 16-17 in the manner above described.` 23 indicates therotary carrier mounted on a shaft 22 and driven by a gear 21 meshingwith an idlergear 20. 29 indicates an idler-gear meshing with the gear30 on a shaft 31,-all operating in the same manner as above described.37 indicates the swinging frame consisting of arms 38 and cross-barshaft 39 mounted on the shaft 35. rack secured to the framework 11. 78indicates the guides mounted on the cross-bar 79. 80 indicates the camsoperating to open the rollers as above described. 81 indicates thedelivery-cylinder having grippers 83 operated by arms 85 and springs 86and cam 84. 93 indicates moving tapes on rollers 89 on Y shaft 90. 94indicates strippers operating to strip the sheet from the deliverycylinder. All these parts are substantially the same in all respects asthe parts correspondingly numbered and above described. rIhe links 41are pivotally connected at their inner ends with the arms 38 and areprovided at their outer ends with forks 42 which straddle the shaft 31.43 indicates the rollers, which are carried by the links 41 between theforks 42 and the pivotal ends of the rods 41. 100 indicates a closed camhaving a cam-groove 101, which, engaging the roller 43, moves the links41 in and out so as to swing the frame 37 forward and back about itspivot upon the shaft 35 in the same manner as the corresponding partsoperate as above described, except that the cam be- 49 indicates thecurvedk ing. closed there is no necessity for the spring 44. In thisstructure, however, the folding-blade is differently operated. 102indicates the folding-blade, which is mounted on an arm 103 on arock-shaft 104 journaled in the carrier 23. The rock-shaft is operatedby a cam 105 which bears upon a roller 106 on another arm 107 on therockshaft 104. The cam 105 is almost entirely circular, but has a shortdepression 108 which operates by means of a spring 109 pulling on thearm 107 to compel the roller 106 to be depressed, thrusting thefoldingblade 102 quickly. outward at the moment that the gripping-jaws51 and 59 have been brought into operative position with relation to theblade by the swinging of the frame. The cam causes the blade to beinstantly withdrawn as soon as it has tucked the paper between thegripping-jaws. The blade, therefore, in this movement does not normallyextend beyond the periphery of the carrier 23, but is only thrustquickly out and immediately back again to tuck the paper in thegripping-jaws above described. In this modification the roller 47 isjournaled directly on a suitable shaft between the arms 38 and carriesthe spring-seated grippingjaw 51. The roller 47 and the gripping-jaw 51are in all respects like the similarly-numbered parts abovev describedin the other iigures. The roller 54 is journaled by means of a suitableshaft in the outer end of arms 110a of bell-crank levers 110 which arepivotally mounted upon the upper ends of the arms 38 on the cross-bar orshaft 39 in the same manner as the arms 46 above described are mounted.The bell-crank levers 110 are provided with second shorter arms 110bwhich carry at their ends, pivotally connected therewith, pins 111 whoseother' free ends pass through lugs 112 fastened upon the inner surfaceof the arms 38 and suitably recessed to permit the free passage throughthem of the pins 111. 113 indlcates spiral springs surrounding the pins111 and bearing at one end upon the lugs 112 and at the other end uponthe arms 110b of the bellcrank levers 110. The operation of the springsis to tend to force the arms 110b to the left in Fig. 1 and consequentlyto force the arms 110a downward so as to hold the flanges or the rollers47 and 54 normally 1n yielding contact with each other. The rollers aregeared together by gears on their shafts in the same manner as therollersin the other forms above described. The roller 54 carries agripping-jaw 59. The roller 54 and the gripping-jaw 59, like theroller47 and jaw 51, are constructed and the jaws are mounted upon therollers in precisely the same manner as the corresponding parts in theother forml above described. 114 indicates a gear, which is fastened tothe outer end of the shaft of the roller 47 in registry and in mesh withthe rack 49, and like the gear 4:8 is of a circumference at least equalto the length of the curved rack S9-that is to say, the number of teethon the gear 114 is at least equal to the number of the teet-h on therack 19, so that by the swinging of the frame 37 to the left the rollerswill be given one complete rotation in the direction indicated by arrowsand in the same manner as the rollers in the other form above described.In the form shown the deliverycylinder 81 is driven by means of a gearS7 on its shaft S2 meshing with a train of idlergears 115-116 and 117,the last of which meshes with a gear 21 on the shaft 22 of the carrier23. The tape rollers 89 are driven by means of a gear 11S on the shaft90 meshing with an idler-gear 120, which in its turn meshes with thegear S7 on the shaft 82. This modified form of device operates asfollows: The parts being in the position shown in said Fig. 11, in whichthe frame 37 is shown at the extreme of its movement to the right, theroller is dropped in the depression 108 of the cam 105 and, forcing thefolding-blade 102 out, has tucked the paper between the jaws 51 and 59,which close upon the sheet, the blade being withdrawn almost instantlyby the further rotation of the carrier 23. As soon as the jaws haveseized the sheet, the rise of the cams 101, which are shaped exactlylike the cams 32, except that they are closed instead of open, as abovedescribed, begins to act upon the rollers 43 to move the links 11 andconsequently the frame 37 to the left, swinging it about its pivotalpoint on the shaft 35. The gear 114 traveling in the rack t9iinmediately begins rotating the rollers, causing the folding-rollers toassume the same successive positions as were above described, wherebythe jaws, rocking relatively to one another with the folded edge of asheet of paper between them, move the sheet into engagement between theflanges on the rollers 4:7 and As the movement to the left progresses,the jaws are soon separated from one another by the rotation .of therollers, as above described, and the rollers operate to forward thesheet. The swinging movement continuing, the edge of the sheet isdelivered by the rollers into the guides 78 and down between them to thedelivery-cylinder in the same manner as above described with the otherforms of my invention. As soon as the grippers 83 on thedelivery-cylinder 81 are in position to engage the edge of the sheetissuing between the guides 7S, the rollers 69 on the arms 110a meet therise of the cam S0, lifting the arms a of the bellcrank levers 110against the action of the spring 113, thereby slightly separating therollers and freeing the paper from their grip. As soon as the sheet isthus delivered and released from the rollers, the backward a movement ofthe frame 37 begins, moved by the cam 101, and the gear 11-1, traversingthe rack -19 in a reverse direction, rotates the rollers in a reversedirection, carrying, of course, with them the gripping-jaws. At the endof the movement the parts have been brought again into the positionshown in Fig. 1 with the rollers in operative relation to thefolding-blade and engaging the next succeeding sheet. It will be seenfrom the above description that this modiiied form operates insubstantially the same way as the preferred forni above described,except for the operation of the folding-blade and also for the fact thatthe rollers are not lifted from the rack on their return movement, andthe gear which operates the rollers in Contact with the rack during boththe delivering and the return movement; and except for the momentaryseparation of the rollers to free the sheet at the end of their deliverymovement, the rollers and the gripping-jaws simply travel on an arctoward and away from the carrier.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is,

1. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers, a grippingjaw pivotally carried by and spring-seated in eachroller, means for reciprocating said rollers directly toward and awayfrom said folding blade and moving said rollers into and out ofoperative relation therewith to cause said gripping-jaws to engage asheet of paper between them and said foldingblade, and means forrotating said rollers.

2. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a gripping-jaw mounted oneach of said rollers, means for holding said gripping-jaws in yieldingengagement with each other during their operative movement, means forreciprocating said rollers direct-ly toward and away from said foldingblade and moving said gripping-jaws into and out of operative relationtherewith, and means for rotating said rollers and causing saidgripping-jaws to move a sheet of paper into engagement with saidrollers.

8. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a gripping-jaw pivotallycarried by and spring-seated in each roller, means for reciprocatingsaid rollers directly toward and away from said folding-blade andbringing said jaws into and out of operative relation therewith, andmeans for rotating said rollers and causing said gripping-jaws to movethe sheet into engagement with said rollers.

et. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers having flanges adapted to engage the side margins of a sheet ofpaper, a gripping-jaw pivotally carried by and spring-seated in leachroller, means for moving said rollers toward and away from saidfolding-blade to bring said jaws into operative relation with saidfolding-blade, and means for rotating said rollers and causing saidgripping-jaws to move the sheet into engagement with said rollers.

5. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers having flanges adapted to engage the side margins of a sheet ofpaper, a gripping-jaw pivotally carried by and spring-seated in eachroller, means for opening and closing said gripping-jaws at suitableintervals, means for moving said rollers toward and away from saidfolding-blade to bring said jaws into and out of operative relation withsaid folding-blade, and means for rotating said rollers and rocking saidgripping-jaws to move the sheet into engagement with said flanges.

6. In combination, a moving-carrier, a folding-blade thereon, a pair offoldingrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a spring-seatedgripping-jaw pivotally carried on each of said rollers, means forreciprocating said rollers directly toward and away from said carrier tobring the said gripping-jaws into and out of operative relation withsaid folding blade, and means forV rotating said rollers to rock saidjaws relatively to each other and move the sheet of paper intoengagement with said rollers.

7. In combination, a folding-blade, a pair of rollers adapted to engagea sheet of paper and each having a portion of its surface cut away, agripping-jaw mounted in each of said rollers in said cut-away portion,means for normally holding said gripping-jaws in yielding engagementwith each other during their operative movement, means for reciprocatingsaid rollers directly toward and away from said folding blade to movesaid gripping-jaws into and out of operative engagement therewith, andmeans for rotating said rollers and causing said gripping-jaws to rockrelatively to each other and forward a sheet of paper engaged betweenthem into engagement with said rollers.

8. In a folding machine, in combination, a folding-blade, a pair ofrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper between them, each of saidrollers having a recessed portion in its periphery, a gripping-jawpivotally mounted on each roller in said recesses, springs mounted insaid recesses and adapted to hold said gripping-jaws in yieldingengagement with each other during their operative movement, means forreciprocating said rollers directly toward and away from saidfolding-blade and moving said gripping-jaws into and out of operativerelation therewith, and means for rotating said rollers and, by saidrotation, causing said gripping-jaws to rock relatively to each otherwhile the sheet of paper is engaged between them and forward said sheetof paper into engagement with said rollers. Y

9. In a folding machine, in combination, a moving carrier, afolding-blade carried thereby, a pair of rollers having circumferentialflanges adapted to engage a sheet of paper and having each a flattenedportion on its periphery, a gripping-jaw pivoted in the flattenedportion of each roller and having its free edge projecting beyond theperiphery thereof, springs bearing on said gripping-j aws and adapted tonormally hold them in yielding engagement during their operativemovement, means for moving said rollers toward and away from saidcarrier to bring said gripping-jaws into and out of operative engagementtherewith, and means for rotating said rollers and causing saidgripping-jaws to rock relatively to eachy other while engaging a sheetof paper and deliver the same to said rollers.

10. In combination, a moving-carrier, a folding-blade thereon, a pair offoldingrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a spring-seatedgripping-j aw pivot-ally carried on each of said rollers, means formoving said rollers toward and away from said carrier and moving saidgripping-jaws into and out of operative relation therewith, means forrotating said rollers and rocking said jaws relatively to each other tomove the sheet of paper into engagement with said rollers, and means forgiving to said rollers and gripping-jaws at the time of their operativeengagement with said folding-blade a movement in substantially the samedirection therewith.

11. In combination, a moving carrier, a folding-blade thereon, a pair offoldingrollers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a spring-seatedgripping-j aw pivotally carried on each of said rollers, means formoving said rollers toward and away from said carrier to move the saidgripping-jaws into and out of operative relation with saidfolding-blade, means for rotating said rollers t0 rock said jawsrelatively to each other and move the sheet of paper into engagementwith said rollers, delivery mechanism, and guides adapted to receive thefolded sheet from said rollers and direct the same to saidV deliverymechanism.

12. In combination, a moving-carrier, a folding-blade on said carrier, apair of roll- Y ers adapted to engage a sheet of paper, a gripping-jawpivotally carried by and spring-seated in each roller, means for movingsaid rollers in a path which causes the gripping-jaws to travel in thesame direction with said folding-blade while in operative relationtherewith, then backward away from said carrier, then upward and forwardto their original position and into operative relation with saidfolding-blade,-

and means for rotating said rollers and causing said jaws to rockrelatively to each other and bring the folded sheet into engagement withsaid rollers.

13. In combination, a moving-carrier, a folding-blade thereon, aswinging frame, means for swinging said frame toward and away from saidcarrier, arms pivotally mounted on said frame and carrying acircumferentially-flanged folding-roller, a gripping-jaw pivotallycarried by and spring-seated on said iianged roller, a second pair ofarms pivotally mounted on said first pair of arms, a secondcircumferentiallyflanged roller journaled on said second arms, means forholding` said rollers with their ianges in yielding engagement with eachother, means for rotating said rollers and causing said gripping-j awsto rock relatively to each other and forward a sheet of paper into thegrip of said flanged rollers, means for giving to said arms a movementindependent of said swinging frame and causing said gripping-jaws, whenbrought by the movement of said swinging frame into operative relationwith said folding-blade, to travel in the same general directiontherewith, and means for temporarily separating said rollers at the endof their sheet-forwarding movement.

14. In combination, a moving-carrier, a

folding-blade thereon, a swinging frame, means for swinging said frametoward and away from said carrier, arms pivotally mounted on said frameand carrying a circumferentially flanged folding roller, a gripping-jawpivotally carried by and spring-seated on said flanged roller, a secondpair of arms pivotally mounted on said first pair of arms, a secondcircumferentiallyflanged roller ournaled on said second arms, means forholding said rollers with their lianges in yielding engagement with eachother, means for rotating said rollers and causing said gripping-jaws torock relatively to each other and forward a sheet of paper into the gripof said flanged rollers, means for giving to said arms a movementindependent of said swinging frame and cause said gripping-jaws, whenbrought by the movement of said swinging frame into operative relationwith said folding-blade, to travel in the same general directiontherewith, means for temporarily separating said rollers at the end oftheir sheet-forwarding movement, delivery-mechanism, and guides adaptedto receive the sheet from said rollers and direct it to saiddelivery-mechanism.

HANS C. SCHROEDER.

Titnesses C. E. PICKARD, WV. H. DE BUsK.

